The invention relates to food processing systems for processing an elongated strand of food product in a casing having tubular segments serially joined by pinched connection segments, e.g. hot dogs, sausage links, etc.
The invention arose during continuing development efforts directed toward subject matter such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,086,469 and 6,056,636. In such systems, strands of sausage are made on high speed machines by extruding meat emulsion into an elongated casing. The meat-filled casing is then twisted to create sausage links. The linked strand is then discharged from the sausage making machine. Loops of sausage comprising a plurality of links are deposited on moving hooks of a conveyor. The ultimate length of a given strand is determined by the length of the casing being filled. When a casing has been filled, the sausage making machine is stopped; the casing is tied off or closed to prevent any meat emulsion from exiting the rear most end of the casing; a new casing is then placed in position to be filled; the machine is restarted and the cycle repeats itself. The linked and looped sausage strand or strands are periodically removed from the conveyor or otherwise transported to a food processing station which normally cooks, smokes or treats the sausage strand before packaging for final delivery to the consumer. With sausage machines creating up to 30,000 sausages per hour, the handling of the production of even a single machine is a significant task. Any inefficiency in the process translates into increased cost of production which is reflected in the price of the products to the consumer.
The present invention is directed to improvements in the above noted system, and in particular to providing alignment of the twisted pinched connection segment between tubular segments of the strand and the hooks on the conveyor receiving such strand from the strand producing machine. This is desired to ensure that the strand lay across the hook at a pinched connection segment between tubular segments, FIG. 20; and prevent the meat casing from laying across the hook at a midpoint of the tubular segment, FIG. 21, which would deform the hot dog, sausage link or the like.